Advanced Gay

Director: Joe Russo — Writer: Matt Murray — Aired: November 3, 2011 —Season: Three — Number: Six Summary: Pierce discovers that Hawthorne Wipes have become popular in the gay community and launches a new product to capitalize on it. Meanwhile, Troy is offered entry into the secret society of air conditioning repair.

Why kidnap you? Why put a sack over your head and drag you here in the middle of the night? Why is there an astronaut in the corner making paninis? Simple: we don't want you to tell anyone about this, and if you do, we don't want them believing you. Isn't that right, Black Hitler?

While waiting in the lunch line in the cafeteria, Troy notices that Jerry is having trouble fixing a machine. Troy easily points out what he is doing wrong, impressing the janitor. He insists that Troy meet with him later on another repair job and if he doesn't feel any passion for plumbing, then he will leave him alone. Troy reluctantly accepts his invitation. At the group's table, Pierce is approached by two overtly homosexual men who ask him to sign one of their Hawthorne Wipes containers. After they leave, Shirley wonders why they were so enthusiastic about he product. Abed then shows them a music video on his laptop of the drag queen Urbana Champaign singing a song called "Pocket Full of Hawthornes" featuring the product itself. The wipes have become something of a gay icon which upsets Pierce who leaves the table in a fuss.

"Got a pocket full of Hawthornes!"

Pierce shows up later in the study room wearing an Urbana Champaign t-shirt and announces he has become a gay rights advocate. The group is initially shocked until Pierce explains that Hawthorne Wipes sales have increased due to support by the gay demographic. He plans to market a new line of wipes specifically for them called "Hawthorne Pride Wipes". A launch for the product is to be sponsored by the company and held at Greendale called the "Gay Bash". Despite his materialistic reasons, the group expresses how proud they are of Pierce although he mentions that his father might not be happy about it. Britta believes this could have something to do with the "edible complex" she read about in psych class.

Pierce introduces his father to the study group.

In the upstairs bathroom, Troy unplugs a toilet with Jerry. After he fixes and tests it out, he admits he enjoyed the process. They are then interrupted by another repairman who offers his compliments on Troy's skills. Jerry reacts negatively to his sudden appearance and yells at him to leave. Jerry then turns to Troy and warns him that there are people who will try to exploit his abilities. He makes Troy promise to use his skills for good. In the cafeteria, Pierce is bonding with his new gay friends while they are setting up for the Gay Bash. An elderly gentleman the appears who turns out to be Pierce's father says that they need to talk. Elsewhere, Troy is walking down a school hallway when he notices an air vent acting up. He is then taken by surprise and kidnapped.

Do you feel it?

A moment later, he is in a room with four other students. They are all tied to a chair in front of a council presided by Vice Dean Laybourne, the head of Greendale's Air Conditioning Repair Annex. He explains that they have been selected as candidates for an elite section of the air conditioning repair school, and that this is their initiation. In the study room, Jerry stops by and asks if any of them have seen Troy. Abed says that he got a text from him saying that he is fine, but he can't tell where he is. Shirley becomes worried and wonders if he has been kidnapped. While Britta asks Jeff if he is going to the party, Pierce and his father walk in. Pierce introduces them all, and his father asks if these are really his friends, delivering a racist remark for each of them.

"Welcome."

Candidates.

"Why an astronaut?"

"Why Black Hitler?"

Pierce then announces that after talking with his father, he is cancelling the Gay Bash and Pride Wipes. He insists that it is strictly a business decision despite Jeff's suggestions to the contrary. Jeff then changes his mind about the event and chooses to shows his support now that it was being oppressed by a homophobe. Britta points out again how his reaction to Pierce's daddy issues have resonated with Jeff and remarks how "edible" it is. Jeff in turn replies that she will make a terrible therapist. Later that night, Jeff makes sure the Gay bash proceeds as planned which infuriates Pierce. Jeff quells his anger by appealing to his vanity naming him the guest of honor and revealing a portrait of Pierce. As the gay students in attendance chant his name in appreciation, Pierce becomes more relaxed.

It might be rude to leave early.

Back in the undisclosed air condition repair meeting room, Troy, blindfolded, puts together a disassembled AC unit much more quickly than any of the others. Vice Dean Laybourne asks him to walk with him. He discusses the history of air conditioning and how over time they have not only learned how to make their superiors comfortable but themselves as well. He leads him to the "Room Temperature Room" where Troy notes how incredible it feels. Laybourne replies that what they do is the incredible and invites Troy to join them. His offer is followed by the catch that once he is in, he will be an air conditioning repair man for his whole life and nothing else; before leaving, he says that he will give Troy twenty-four hours to decide.

Troy wins.

The original air conditioning.

"This is the room temperature room."

Back at the bash, Troy is catching up with Abed when Dean Pelton mentions that the room is getting very hot. Troy offers to take a look at the air conditioner and runs into Jerry who confronts him about his offer from the A/C school. Troy argues that air conditioning has its perks before running away. Returning to Abed, Troy consults him about his future. Abed says that since A/C repair and plumbing are pretty much the same thing, he should do whatever he wants and what will make him the happiest. Meanwhile, Pierce is invited on the stage by Urbana Champaign. He is about to give a speech promoting the new wipes when he spots his father in the crowd. He then proclaims the party was a huge mistake, and that Hawthorne Wipes will be severing its ties to the gay community. He is quickly booed until he pretends to have a heart attack.

"What's 'tron'?"

Pierce is taken to the school clinic where Jeff later finds him and his father. Jeff is angry that Pierce was backed down instead of standing up to his father. Cornelius praises his sons actions believing that Pierce did the right thing by obeying to him. Jeff points out to Cornelius that raising a son is a gift, and that he squandered his chance with Pierce. Because of that, he constantly tries to prove he exists by doing the most ridiculous things in order to fill a void. Jeff finishes with the statement that Pierce, the world, and himself are done with him. Due to the intensity of the argument, Cornelius has a heart attack although Jeff presumes that he is faking even after two nurses come in to help him.

He's faking, right?

At the funeral home, a picture of Cornelius is mounted above a coffin. Jeff approaches the somewhat distant Pierce and apologizes for killing his father. Pierce goes to give his eulogy, which is far from loving; he concludes his statement by pointing out that his father is dead while he is not. Britta points out that his speech is very "edible." Observing a cool draft coming out of an air vent in the back of the home, Troy takes this as a signal to meet Vice Dean Laybourne. In a back storage room, Laybourne explains that Troy's time is up, and he has to make a decision. Troy says that he is sorry, but he doesn't want to join the air condition repair school, and that he was meant to do something else. Confused, Laybourne asks what this could possibly be, and Troy responds that all he wants to do is watch TV with his friend and leaves to go meet Abed.

"You're dead and I'm not!"

Laybourne's henchman approaches and relates how the air conditioning unit at the dance in the cafeteria had a compound coil fracture that was fixed the previous night. Laybourne laughs in disbelief at the report, saying that not even he could fix one until the repairman points out that Troy was the one that fixed it. At this revelation, Laybourne declares that Troy is not in the clear yet. Back in the viewing area, Jeff admits to Britta that she would make a good therapist after nailing Pierce with his "oedipal" issue. Britta thanks him and suggests that he could have some as well. Jeff denies it even after Britta points out that he literally killed a father. Finally, Chang is seen leaving with Urbana Champaign after he stops and laughs at Jeff for not going home with anyone.

Discontinuity: When Pierce accidentally calls his mother, in the Season One episode "Introduction to Statistics", we overhear her mention that she saw the ghost of Pierce's father. When the study group is surprised to see Cornelius at Greendale alive Pierce explains that his mother liked to pretend that he was dead.

Mad skillz: Troy's repair skills are shown again in this episode.

A nice gesture: A new version of Troy and Abed's handshake is introduced: the "secret" version.

Winger speech: Jeff lectures Cornelius on the duty of a father to a son.